Wrath & Glory: Core Rules

This accursed Age needs heroes more than ever before. Shattered by the Great Rift, the galaxy is on the brink of oblivion and madness. There are those who fight for a shred of hope, a glimmering promise that this millennium may yet endure.

What will you fight for? What will you sacrifice? Enter a galaxy full of danger and mystery, plagued by the star-spanning schemes of the Dark Gods. You will defend the last bastions of civilization against a rising tide of corruption. You will explore ancient ruins of races long-vanished.

You will uncover lost secrets and devious schemes. This is a game of danger and mystery. This is a game of action and adventure. This is a game about the struggle to hold back the doomsday clock from striking midnight for an entire galaxy.

Has this PDF been updated with the errata? as I hesitate to by something that is not updated even more so as this product looks to be losing support already

Łukasz GFebruary 08, 2019 5:52 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Yes. The costs and wordings seem up to the errata

Martin CJanuary 14, 2019 4:48 pm UTC

Has this PDF been updated with the errata?

Diego BDecember 22, 2018 12:33 pm UTC

No preview of the book?

Eric SDecember 28, 2018 1:24 am UTC

PUBLISHER

Added. However, there seems to be some issue with the DTRPG full-size preview system at the moment. When that is corrected, it should work.

Diego BDecember 28, 2018 10:40 am UTC

Thanks!

EDWARD CDecember 09, 2018 5:24 pm UTC

PURCHASER

It says watermarked pdf does that mean all the pages have a big watermark over them if i buy it?

Eric SDecember 10, 2018 1:33 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

DriveThruRPG puts a digital watermark on the product when you buy it. This displays your customer name and order number in small print in the lower corner of each page. It's very unobtrusive, but it identifies the PDF as yours.

Peter KNovember 25, 2018 5:11 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Bought this yesterday and really liking it so far.

Only thing slightly disappointing is a lack of support for Tau PCs. Despite my personal preference for them, I could understand if they couldn't fit everything in the core book. But it just seems a little odd since the book specifically suggests using Tau as a convenient excuse for a multi-species party. Not that you couldn't have Gue'vesa without a Tau present, but still.

October 31, 2018 3:20 am UTC

PURCHASER

The below review is not questionable and the fact they mention FFG Dark Heresy lets me know they like FFG system.
Both Deathwatch and Dark Heresy were unbalanced. It often came down to looking for weapons that did more and more damage. This rules set doesn’t do that as much.

David COctober 19, 2018 3:47 am UTC

I wish I could leave a review on this game, because this ruleset is awful. Unpolished and poor glossary, not intuitive, and incredibly unbalanced. Tier 2 psykers will definitely have Gout of Flame and ruin your entire Tier 2 game (does more damage than a heavy flamer, in fact close to an assault cannon, will blast or large blast, and will automatically set the enemy on fire from which they will take significant mortal damage, require a willpower test to act, and action spent making a an Agility test to try to put themselves out). This power is one of the cheapest and most easily available psyk powers in the system, and is even better than other pyromancy powers which allow the target to save. This should kill almost any Tier 2 enemy in the game, even a Mob of Ork Nobz. The penalty for that attack? If used unbound the psykers upper limit Perils might make him re roll 1s and 6s on one of the dice.

This is just one of many problems with the system, such as the fact that Weapon Skill (melee fighting)...See more uses your Initiative stat (not Strength nor Agility) or that you will use 3 different stats to take damage (Soak, Shock, and Wounds).

The system is just awful and unbalanced - use your resources to try to find FFG's old Dark Heresy line you will be better off.

Jesse SOctober 18, 2018 4:27 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Is this PDF updated with the errata or one still need to grab that from the US site?

Edward SOctober 10, 2018 7:23 pm UTC

PURCHASER

I plan to run a game where the party starts as Hive Gangers and work their way up in the eyes of the chaos gods. Granting them the marks of Chaos from the Daemon Gods (which grant in-game bonuses) and they push towards daemonhood. So my main questions are...

Are the rules and class templates in the core book for Heretic Astartes?
Are the benefits of each Daemon God (Tzeentch, Nurgle, Khorne, Slaanesh) explained with in-game mechanic terms?
Are there generic NPC profiles for the typical stuff you'd see on a tabletop 40K game? Space marine, Dreadnaught, Tyranid Gaunts, Ork Bikers, etc.
I have read on the Tier system, however, is there an xp system in place for character progression?

I would like to know the answer to the above questions before deciding to purchase the book. Thanks for any feedback you can provide.

Eric SOctober 11, 2018 1:25 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

Right now, Chaos Space Marines use the same templates as regular Astartes, but typically buy a Mark of Chaos, which are included. The other specific Keywords they get are also explained in this book. There may be more detailed rules for individualizing varieties of Chaos Space Marines in the future, but for now, this basic method does do what you're asking.
The Bestiary is very comprehensive - you'll find a lot of what you're looking for there.
And yes, there is xp-based progression for buying advancements. The Tier system is primarily used at the beginning of the game to set your Framework and (rarely) to change frameworks at major narrative points in your campaign.

Hope this helps!

October 02, 2018 6:41 pm UTC

I bought this soon after release on here, does that mean Im now stuck with the version with all the errors etc or can I download the latest edition with the corrections?

Jay WOctober 03, 2018 12:55 pm UTC

PURCHASER

For now, you're stuck with the errors. You should get a notice when they update the file again, and hopefully the next update will cover everything currently in the errata.

Eric SOctober 03, 2018 1:15 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

I'm not sure that's exactly what the OP was asking. To be clear - you should always be able to download the latest available version. Be sure to check the Updates section of your DriveThru account regularly.

Doug NOctober 05, 2018 4:52 am UTC

Right....but are the corrections/errata that we can download from your site, Eric, incorporated into the PDF purchased here yet? My oft-itchy purchase finger has been ready to pick this up, but I'd prefer to get the it with the first meaningful set of errata incorporated first. -- thank you

Eric SOctober 11, 2018 1:18 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

The errata listed on the site is for the print version. Most if not all of them should be in the current PDF.

Daniel BOctober 11, 2018 7:37 pm UTC

PURCHASER

I love the game, but then why are the "Maximum Starting Talents" columns in the charts on pages 69, 80 and 193 still not fixed? And the "Max Psychic Powers" columns in the charts on pages 69/80/193 are still different from the one on page 346. Why isn't this fixed? Thx.

Doug NSeptember 14, 2018 3:07 pm UTC

I saw that errata was released a few days ago, but does anyone know if the PDF here for purchase will be updated with those changes? Seems to still be the August 31st version.

Malte RSeptember 19, 2018 1:28 pm UTC

PURCHASER

It is updated in accordance with the Errata. As I understand it, the Errata's release was simply delayed.

Doug NSeptember 20, 2018 8:52 pm UTC

Interesting. I almost want to say 'screenshot, or it didn't happen', as there are others posts here from 8/31 when the file was last updated saying (basically) that nothing was really changed. :) I loathe when PDFs are not updated, so I've been waiting on that to happen. Based on some of the reviews and feedback, I want to believe it's going to be cleaned up as they go vs. an extended separate doc of fixes to track. Thanks for the reply.

David SSeptember 12, 2018 11:36 pm UTC

Since i don't have any forums to talk about this product, Am I to understand that the editing and formatting is atrocious. The Table Setup Confusing for building a Character. The Values are not calculated correctly in some places, while being unusable without major adjustment for Suggested Pre-Builds. Some Point Buys for Races and Archetypes are unusable for certain Tiers of Play?

I saw a few pages and noticed that the point buy for the Archetype and some of the races are at the bottom on the Left side of the Page while the rest of the stats for said subject is one the top of Right Side of the Page. How often does this happen? Also, if this happens a lot, why didn't they hire an Editor or Page designer?

David SSeptember 13, 2018 1:04 am UTC

Actually, is there a way to contact developers when issues like this come up? I feel like there should be since the printed edition hasn't come out yet. It would be best for the IP and the product if such minor things be fixed. Hell, I'd do it Pro Bono if it meant that it does well in the market

Eric SSeptember 13, 2018 12:34 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

You can find the contact form on our About page on ulissesnorthamerica . com

Jay WSeptember 13, 2018 7:55 pm UTC

PURCHASER

I'm fairly sure at least one print run has been done already.

Robert TAugust 31, 2018 4:40 pm UTC

PURCHASER

So what was updated in the Core Rules? Anyone notice anything different?

Ryan HAugust 31, 2018 6:02 pm UTC

PURCHASER

I too came to check and the Heretek is still the wrong tier. Far as I can see nothing was changed and there's nothing in my library saying that it was updated.

6160 Belle RAugust 31, 2018 6:33 pm UTC

PURCHASER

I am very interested in changes. Wish they had a change log.

Jay WAugust 31, 2018 7:59 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Same errors in the same places. Primaris Marines are still Speed 7 in one place and Speed 6 in another. Tier 3 Attribute Array is still incorrectly costed. More...

Sebastien TSeptember 05, 2018 5:13 am UTC

PURCHASER

DiffPDF tells me something on page 162 (Book page, or page 163 in the PDF) changed. I don't know what as nothing is being highlighted, it's not content as far as I can tell.
The only other change is on p.458 (PDF), here I can see the highlighting. However it's not content, probably just minor font change, alignment or so.

TLDR: no content changes.

August 26, 2018 4:48 pm UTC

PURCHASER

The editing is clearly not finished yet and several mechanics are just plain bad. This is akin to a beta product.

That one star review is a terrible review. Point out the editing issues and the issues you had with mechanics. Something like rule x was incomplete or hard to understand. Or rule x was missing.

It is a 1 star review. it does not help the developer and designer of the game and purchaser since no specific information is given.

Jay WAugust 27, 2018 11:53 pm UTC

PURCHASER

The one-star review is about as specific as the five-star review. If you want a detailed, nuanced review, there are several in the three-star range that do that.

August 30, 2018 2:37 pm UTC

PURCHASER

The review has been updated.

September 01, 2018 6:32 pm UTC

PURCHASER

That review is much better! Thank you. We do have different opinions of the game. The ascension package gives you minor powers for each tier ascended and a choose a discipline you may purchase powers from. You also gain smite power. So if you build your psychic character then ascend them not too bad. The skill system shows you what can do with the skill based on skill level not difficulty number. I think the influence system is just fine.

I like the static nature of damage in the game. The more skilled you are the more effective you and larger die pool. Shifts add to damage in combat. I think Tier system scales quite well. So Orks are going to be problem for average human or tier 1.

Just adjust the point system as GM player easy enough to do. Give players extra points build what they want. Not ideal, but not end world.

There Heretic should be Tier 3. Error not end world

September 01, 2018 8:42 pm UTC

PURCHASER

The psyker thing: it is better in a tier 2 game (for example) to play a sister hospitaller (for awesome power armour) then "stay the course" as ascension package (20BP), getting a heavy flamer (or something else awesome) and just buy the smite power (10BP) and the minor psychic power (max 10 BP), while the sanctioned psyker archetype costs 50BP. So you now have saved 10 bp, have better gear, higher influence, better special and are still as much of a psyker, the only reason to take the psyker is if your gm is being a dick and not letting you be sanctioned if you don't take that archetype.

The Heretic should probably be tier 2 if you look at its gear, which is awkward because the tech-priest is tier 3.

I fundamentally disagree about the static damage, for example space marines are almost impervious to bolter fire that is also bad imagine Space Marines vs Chaos Space marines. I'm fine with certain enemies being immune to lasguns for example, but the range of meningful damage...See more just becomes so small, it is simply way to common to either always one shot or always do no damge.

September 01, 2018 10:25 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Agreed on the tier 2 for Psyker. You need the ascension package for it to be added to other architypes. For me add it to tactical space marine for Grey knight feel at Tier 4.

We will agrre to disagree on the damage. The extra damage die weapon qualities such as brutal and some of the talents is enough variance for me

Kai GSeptember 11, 2018 9:19 am UTC

@ Sep 1, 2018 10:42: That's the difference between only reading the system and, more specifically, only weapon stats and archetypes vs. seeing all the things that're going on during actual play. Space Marines are absolutely not "impervious to bolter fire". Not if the attacker is Aiming and/or making Called Shots and/or using Wrath/Ruin to re-roll failures and maybe even using Glory to add dice to their rolls.
This is also the problem with many of the reviews I've read on this site. Most of them are purely theoretical math-hammer, and I can't agree with that, as my play experience paints a very diffferent picture. A system isn't only the contents of individual chapters or the effect of isolated rules or pieces of equipment, but instead all these things working in concert during actual play, including all the brilliant narrative stuff that's going on. In short: this game is so much more than the sum of its parts.

Luis CSeptember 12, 2018 2:01 pm UTC

PURCHASER

There is a difference between a Psycher Class and someone with the Psycher Keyword. A Psycher class can pick powers from ANY discipline while a Psycher Keyword Psycher can only pick from 1 Discipline.
The question is why use "Psychic Revelations" Ascension when you can get "Stay the Course" and still grab the Psycher Keyword.

Ascension Packages are kinda OP anyway, which is understandable for the lower characters to catch up but it does allow a Inquisitorial Acolyte to have Higher Influence than his Inquisitor at tier 4 (assuming same Fellowship: Inquisitor has base 4 + 1 from Background for 5. Acolyte has base 2 + 3 for tiers ascended + 1 from Background + 1 instead of the Any Keyword gained from ascension for 7).

September 13, 2018 9:07 pm UTC

PURCHASER

@kai G Space marines need a lot of shots of bolter rounds to go down, if you play a slightly higher resilience space marine you are mostly impervious (except for 6s on wrath dice but at that point enemies may as well be using las pistols or a dagger so it is not really a valid argument).

@Luis C No you are wrong, you are thinking about the psyker ascension class (which I expect is edited wrong). They say you can learn psychic powers if you pick up the any keyword on another place in the book.

August 26, 2018 4:42 pm UTC

PURCHASER

I actually think the tier and rank system works quite well. The editing is no worse than other games I like such as the Witcher Rpg. The layout and formatting is no worse than any other rpg. It is no worse than D&D 5e, Pathfinder, or Shadowrun for that matter as far as layout and formatting. Flavor and atmosphere are over used terms. What favor and atmosphere does D&D, Pathfinder, Or Shadowrun give when they talk about great swords or cybernetics? As far as background information it gives as much as any other game. I would actually say more than most games. It does nice job of brining you up to date on the current events as found in 8th Edition of Warhammer 40k the Wargame. Does it give as much as the entire FFG line no. That was over 40 books. Does it give more than Dark Heresy or Only War that focused on specific aspects yes it does since it is broader in scope.

As far as Talents being bland? Then so are the talents in Star Wars FFG, Feats and Spells for both pathfinder and D&D, cybernetic...See more and spell descriptions from Shadow Run. As for as the plus x rank talents. Those are in place to add bonuses based on rank and do varied things. Steel and Doom adds 1/2 rank when using Space Marine Weapons to the damage value, That is the final total damage not ED which are extra damage dice. Also or Super Human that lets you pick stat to add rank to the dice pool when using that stat. Trade Mark weapon that lets you add ED=Extra Damage Dice to a weapon you select. The rank system allows you to grow as you increase in rank which I like.

As far as Ascension goes page 197 talks about Ascensions and multiple Ascensions. It seems clear to me.

Tier and Rank system of the game is quite robust. Tier sets the attribute maximum, skill maximum number of talents, number psychic powers and the number of bonus and penalty die. As talked about earlier rank has an impact on some talents.

I do find it odd that someone that liked Shadowrun said that Wrath and Glory is a soulless system. This seems like a disingenuous statement to me. Shadowrun is known for huge dice pool systems that become unwieldy at times. I like it others do not. I also like D&D 5e and Pathfinder. All the criticism I have heard about Wrath and Glory could easily be made about these games as well.

Finally there are several extensive playthrough videos. Watch these to see if the game interest you. If you buy the game without doing your research that is on you.

Jay WAugust 26, 2018 10:00 pm UTC

PURCHASER

You compare it to Witcher. That book too is criticized for poor layout and production. Sorry, but Wrath & Glory is ugly. You take the ugly date to prom, fine, but don't expect others to think your toad is a prince(ss).

Specifically, one of my main issues is that there are what should be sidebars scattered through the text with no difference in font or color or background to tell you that it is not a part of the main text. This creates really weird bits where the text gets shifted and you start reading into a sidebar and wondering where the subject is even going. Sidebars stand out for this because they can be confused for the body text, but the charts also seem to get inserted without care.

Another bit of annoyance is the character sheet. They put faux holes in the sheet to make it look like it fits in a binder. OK, fine, but at least format the sheet so those faux holes don't obliterate some of the words on the sheet. It's sloppy, and it's a bug no matter how some might want to spin...See more it into a feature.

August 27, 2018 12:18 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Art and Layout is subjective. I do not mind the two fonts in the Witcher and in fact liked it. The Art and Layout for both the Witcher and Wrath & Glory are as good if not better than Warhammer 1st and 2nd. It as good as D&D 5e. These are my opinions. it just goes to prove the point that art and layout are subjective things.

david GSeptember 04, 2018 11:15 pm UTC

PURCHASER

are you really comparing this mess to Shadowrun? are you really asking why this has no atmosphere comparing to dnd? Did you at least once read a book from Black Library? because it doens't seem so. Or, by the way, are you aware of how neat and fascinating and easy is 5th edition? and how immense is Shadowrun? Get a rest: this game was made by little heretics. They shall be purified.

September 05, 2018 2:36 am UTC

PURCHASER

Yes, there are many in the gaming community Shadowrun 5th is mess. I am not one of them. Also soul and atmosphere is very subjective thing. I feel Wrath and Glory has plenty of it you do not. That is ok. Yes I also compared it to D&D 5th and said it has as much atmosphere and soul.

David SSeptember 13, 2018 12:01 am UTC

read the printed copy of Shadowrun 5th when it came out and it was bad... Like there where some places where they had copy and pasted some materials from previous editions without editing the values or terms to match the current edition. Formatting outside of the Story bits where pretty confusing with breaking of paragraphs in poor places where a page break could have been used or a picture moved to prevent that from happening. I've also read the 5th edition of DnD and for the most part it is super clean and understandable with actually new art instead of reused material. I was both impressed and amazed. That said, anything after 10th level becomes a cake walk and the game play goes weird so...

Pretty disappointing to be honest. Feels like half a game cobbled together by someone with a passing familiarity with 40k lore. Massive chunks of the rules and character options don't make sense in terms of the lore and what is missing from the book is [...]

Started a new campaign with this system and my group loves it! Easy to adjust to your own playstyle and rules that are a good balance between fast flowing and crunch. I can't wait until we get more material to work with! That said, the fo [...]

When I first bought it, it was far less edited and far mroe spotty. Things were iffy, and confusing. After a few months wait, and a good bit of playing while errata was released, ; I've deicided that this has 5 stars. It's meaty, but approachabl [...]

Wrath&Glory has attempted to capture a huge range of 40k gameplay in one book and managed just that! You can play lots of archetypes from lowly imperial guardsman to deathwatch primaris captain! Inquisition, Hive Scum, Mechanicum, Chaos Cults, Elda [...]

The game in on itself feels great, however from what i have discovered some tweaks to the combat might be nescessary depending on the usual preferences of a group. However i can't help but be baffled by the lack of support for the game. It feels really [...]

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